The manual made for 1990's Don Doko Don is no exception, and it all starts with its adorable and colorful cover.
The interior of this particular instruction manual eschews color, sadly, but it's hard to say it suffers much as a result.
Like The New Zealand Story's manual, this one features a number of charmingly childish illustrations, such as the ones that can be seen in the scans above. (Click on them for a closer look.)
More such illustrations can be found throughout this instruction manual, with the ones below being some of my favorites. (I love how they simply explain to readers how the game works: bonk enemies on the head with your hammer, then pick up the squished foe and toss it against a wall or other solid object in order to extract oddly spotted fruit from it.)
Later pages showcase noteworthy aspects of each of Don Doko Don's stages as well as drawings of their boss denizens.
Full disclosure: I've never encountered a number of these baddies, as I'm far from the world's most accomplished Don Doko Don player. (Although I assure you I'm working on it.)
Last, but not least, this manual wraps up with a pair of pages that detail--again, using strangely endearing illustrations--all of Don Doko Don's enemies and a single page that highlights its handful of items.
See also: previous 'Manual Stimulation' posts
The drawings are incredible, but I feel like cover is the runaway star—it reminds me of the Pikmin 2 art campaign where everything was clay figurines.... ahhhhhh, I miss things like that!
ReplyDeleteYou are correct - I do love the illustrations in the manual for this splendid game! :) I can't wait to review but I've been saving it for some time now :P
ReplyDeleteOh, of course you're right, Zach. The cover image is amazing! Really, it's too bad the folks at Taito didn't do more with that "shoot"--as in, it's too bad they didn't produce other pieces of art that use the same models, etc. Or maybe they did and I just don't know about them?
ReplyDeleteAh, which version are you planning to review, Simon? The arcade one, PC Engine one or Famicom one? I have the most experience with the PCE one, although I've been playing the Famicom one lately and it's also surprisingly decent, if you ask me :)
ReplyDeleteWell at least I can expect you to post them if you ever do see any more!
ReplyDeleteHa ha! Yes, I suppose you're right :)
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure actually. I've always known it as an Engine game but I usually prefer to review the original version of a game if I can - in this case arcade. So, not sure yet :P
ReplyDeleteI say go with the arcade version. Of course, I say that because I have the most experience with the Famicom and PCE versions :)
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